Abstrait

Mental co-morbidities and psychosocial support in COPD patients within the pulmonary rehabilitation

Eva Korpova*, Viola Vargova, Natalia Vanova

The aim of this article is to highlight the importance of psychological concurrent illnesses within pneumological rehabilitation, based on selected studies. The mental co-morbidities of COPD patients increase morbidity, mortality, frequent exacerbations, reduced quality of life, as well as physical and social functioning, below-average smoking cessation success, increased need for outpatient and inpatient interventions, and extended hospital stay, resulting in increased hospital costs. Pulmonary rehabilitation should be based on a multimodal, integral therapeutic approach in which, in addition to pneumology-medical treatment, therapeutic elements from psychological care (patient education, COPD patient training) and psychotherapy are combined.